


Lessons in Love

by will (pointedperception)



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Male Slash, eventually smut, hannigram AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-19
Updated: 2013-08-01
Packaged: 2017-12-15 10:49:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/848650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pointedperception/pseuds/will
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will Graham just moved from rural Virginia to the center of Baltimore for a teaching job. He didn't realize he had a problem with sleepwalking until his next-door neighbor found him in the street one night and insisted on helping him get over it. Will didn't realize he would fall in love with him, either.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [Lessons in Love 爱的教育](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1253101) by [asadeseki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/asadeseki/pseuds/asadeseki)



> This is the script for a Hannigram comic I'm working on, so I apologize for my crappy writing. Just thought I'd put it up here anyway, cause why not? This ship needs more fluffy AUs where things are cute and nothing hurts. 
> 
> Non-Murder Family will come later, possibly. Probably. Smut too.

My name is Will Graham. I moved into this place about a week ago; it’s much different from my old house, which was an hour away from any major city and nice and quiet. It looked out over a lake, not to mention my dogs loved it. I miss my dogs too, but there’s no room for all of them here in this brownstone. I brought along Winston and Jess, but I had to find homes for the others.

Johns Hopkins offered me a good position though; after being stabbed as a cop, teaching psychology will be much less dangerous. But getting used to Baltimore will be a challenge. I’ve never been much of a city guy. Don’t do well around a lot of people.

Which is why I’ve been cooped up in my house all week, planning my curriculum and reading a bit. I started my job today; had to say hi to my next-door neighbor, who was out getting his paper as I got in my car. I didn’t even look at his face.  Work was fine, uneventful; teaching isn’t as social as most people think. I just have to talk at them and show some slides.

I heated up some leftovers when I got home, fed the dogs, and went to sleep early. I was more exhausted than I realized, I guess.

I woke up outside, standing on the curb, staring at a man I didn’t recognize.

“Sir? Are you alright?” He had a thick accent that I couldn’t identify and looked very concerned. He was holding tight on to my bicep. I stared at him blankly.

“I… Where am I?” A stupid question, because I knew I was standing outside of my house. I could see it. I just didn’t know how I got there.

“I believe you were sleepwalking,” he said, pressing a hand to my head. “Please, come inside… um, what’s your name?”

“Will Graham,” I said flatly. “I live right there, it’s fine, I’ll be fine…”

“Please, Will, I insist. I am a psychiatrist and I used to be a doctor, and considering that you almost walked into traffic, I feel responsible.”

I looked behind me, not able to recall walking into the street, but realizing that my neighbor had pulled me to the safety of the sidewalk. I nodded my head at him. “Alright.” I followed him up the stairs to his front door, steady enough, but his hand was pressed firmly against my back nonetheless.

Our houses were mirrored in layout, but his was much more elegantly decorated than mine. He led me into his front sitting room, gesturing for me to sit on the sofa.  He took a seat across from me in a chair. “I believe I have failed to introduce myself; I’m Dr. Hannibal Lecter. I saw you the other day, I take it you’re new to the neighborhood?”

“Yeah, moved here last week… Johns Hopkins offered me a job, so I moved here from Virginia.” I shifted on the couch, wanting to get more comfortable but not wanting to mess up anything. I felt like I would break something in his house just by looking at it.  

He nodded, smiling a bit. “I had an internship there, it’s a wonderful school.” I wanted to ask more, like why he was a psychiatrist now instead of what I assumed was a good job, but I felt it was personal. Possibly a touchy subject.

“So do you look out for all of your sleepwalking neighbors or did you just happen to see me?”

“Well, I was sitting here reading before retiring for the evening, when I saw you walking towards the street in nothing but your boxers and a t-shirt. Naturally, I was concerned, and figured you weren’t completely aware of what you were doing.” At him mentioning what I was wearing, I looked down and blushed, embarrassed. Here I was sitting in a strange man’s home wearing nothing but my boxers. Great first impression. “Do you have a history of sleepwalking, Will?”

“Not that I know of,” I said, meeting his eyes only briefly, “I’ve been living on my own since I was 20.”

“Still, you could have woken up somewhere strange… I do apologize for waking you up from it, but it was my only option. It’s usually not good because it causes extreme disorientation.”

“I know about sleepwalking,” I said, not meaning for it to sound so brash. “I mean, I teach psychology. Not trying to discredit you, Dr. Lecter.”

“Please, call me Hannibal,” he smiled. I couldn’t tell if he was offended or not. “Would you like something to eat or drink?”

I looked at the clock; it was nearly 2 am. “No, thanks, I’ve kept you up long enough, I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize, Will, I am happy to help out a friend.” Friends? We had just met. Though I did appreciate his unusual hospitality. “I would even invite you to stay here in my guest room, but that might be too forward.”

“No, it’s fine,” I said, getting up. “I need to get back to my dogs. Shit, did I leave my door open?” I hurried to the window, frantically looking to my front door.

“No, I made sure it was closed. Well, Will, if you need anything, please do not hesitate to call.” He was handing me his business card; it was strangely formal, after sort of asking me to spend the night. I took it and nodded, smiling at him. “Perhaps we could work on this little problem of yours in the daytime?”

“I don’t have money for a psychiatrist,” I blurted out. He laughed.

“I’m not asking for your money, Will. I would be helping you as a friend, free of charge.” He was smiling genuinely.

“I’ve got a busy schedule; I teach every week day, and –“

“I’m sure we can work something out.”

I was too tired to fight him anymore, and I did need some help. “Okay. Thank you, Dr. Le- Hannibal.” It sounded weird on my tongue, but not bad.

 With that, he let me go back home, where my dogs greeted me happily. They smelled me frantically, undoubtedly noticing Hannibal’s scent on me. I locked the door, and my bedroom door, before finally going back to sleep for good.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings for this chapter, just more fluffy build-up of their relationship. ;)

I woke up and went to work as scheduled, picking up some Chinese on the way back. Hannibal’s business card sat on my kitchen counter, staring at me as I unpacked my food. I checked the clock. 7pm. It wasn’t too late, but I didn’t want to bother him, and I really just wanted to eat my food, read a book, and go to bed.  I ignored it as I took my food into the dining room, scarfing it down. Winston and Jess begged, and I gave them a few bites of chicken though they had already eaten twice today.

I saw Hannibal’s card again as I went to throw away my trash and put the leftovers in the fridge, running a hand over my face. He told me to call – no, _insisted_. Sighing in defeat, I reached for my cell phone and began to dial the number on the card. As soon as I heard the first ring, there was a knock on my front door. I hurried to open the door, phone still pressed to my ear. There stood Hannibal, phone up to his ear as well.

“Hello, Will,” he smiled. I forced a smile back through my embarrassment as I heard his voice echo through my phone. He laughed and put his cell away; I did the same.

“I was just –“

“Calling me? I wasn’t expecting that, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. May I come in?”

I nodded, letting him walk past me. The dogs rushed to him; he looked slightly annoyed, but gave them each a quick pat on the head. He went into my living room, which was still full of boxes with only one old couch to sit on. Hannibal gave it a questionable look but sat on it anyway. He patted the cushion next to him. “Come sit, Will.”

I obeyed. “So are you going to psychoanalyze me now or what?” I stared at his jawline, avoiding his eyes.

“I can, if you want me to. But I figured we would take things slowly to start out.” I nodded, so he continued. “Now, Will, I want you to try a relaxation exercise. If you do this before you go to sleep, it may help prevent another sleepwalking episode. If it doesn’t help, we can move on to other methods. Are you ready?”

I nodded again. It didn’t seem to satisfy him, as he continued to stare at me. “Yeah, sure. I can do that.” I didn’t think it would work, but I was willing to try. I felt oddly comfortable around him, which was new for me. I trusted him.

“Good.” Hannibal turned to face me, putting his hands on my shoulders. “Close your eyes. Try to clear your mind and focus only on my voice.”

“Alright.”

“Don’t speak. Breathe in slowly and hold it. Now let it out. Concentrate on your breathing; keep it deep and steady.” He was silent for a minute as I worked my breathing into a rhythm. His hands felt heavy on my shoulders. “Now, clench your fists. Clench them as tight as you can, then release them.” There was a sudden release of mental tension along with the physical release. It felt good. “Good, Will. Now do the same with your forearms, then your upper arms. Tension, then release. Let the release spread throughout your body; let it fall like a wave over your mind, and your body.”

Breathing deeply, I followed his instructions until my whole body was relaxed. I could barely feel his hands anymore; they were just a numb, pleasant pressure on my shoulders. It was soothing.

“How do you feel, Will?”

I opened my eyes; the sound of his voice snapping me back to reality. “Good. Really good, actually,” I murmured. My mouth formed a smile without my brain telling it to.

The edges of Hannibal’s mouth twitched upwards as well. His thumb was pressing against my collarbone, slowly tracing it. “Since you are relaxed already, I would suggest you go to sleep now.”

My eyes widened and I sat upright. “Right now?” I didn’t want his hands to leave, but to my dismay, they did.

He stood up, extending his hand towards me. “Yes. Going to sleep now while you are relaxed will significantly lessen your chances of sleepwalking tonight.”

I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. I was woozier than I expected, taking a moment to get my bearings. Hannibal put his hand on the small of my back, leading me to the stairs.

“Are you alright from here?” He stopped at the base of the stairs, turning me to face him.

“Hm? Yes, yes, I’ll be fine. Thank you, Hannibal.” I had the sudden urge to lean in and kiss him, though I had never been attracted to a man before. Much less someone I barely knew. I pushed the thought away and blamed it on my relaxed state and his comforting presence.

“It was my pleasure. I’ll see you tomorrow, Will,” he stated, patting my shoulder before heading out the door.

I tried to go straight to sleep; I really did. But all I could think about was how Hannibal’s lips might feel against my own, and by the time I finally fell asleep I was more anxious than ever.

I woke up on Hannibal’s porch. He was shaking my shoulders, mouthing my name at me. I wasn’t entirely sure I wasn’t dreaming. I felt his hands holding my face between them, his lips curved downwards and his eyes locked onto mine. I closed mine to escape. I opened them again and I was seated on Hannibal’s sofa. He was beside me, his brows furrowed. His hands searched for a non-existent fever as his voice finally reached my ears.

“Will, please, answer me, Will.”

“Yes?” I stared at the collar of his robe. It didn’t look like he was wearing anything underneath it. He pulled my chin up so I was forced to look into his eyes again.

His lips worked into a pout. “I was hoping that exercise would be helpful. I suppose we’ll have to try different types of treatment.” He noticed my eyes wander to his lips and I blushed, my eyes retreating to the side. “Perhaps some sort of alarm or bell on your door will alert you and wake you up before you wander outside again. Though I am pleased you came to my door this time.”

My face grew redder and I nodded in agreement. “I’m sorry to trouble you, it must be awfully late –“

“Really, Will, I don’t mind. My home is always open to friends, no matter what time,” he smiled, cutting me off. He was almost too nice; nice enough that I should be suspicious, but I blindly trusted him instead. It was my brain telling me to be suspicious, not my gut, and I’ve learned to discredit most of what my mind has to say. His lips parted, hesitating before continuing. “It is 4 o’clock in the morning, however, and I must be up shortly. You may stay if you like, or I can take you home, but I do need to sleep.”

“I’ll go home,” I said, standing up. He stood with me. Part of me wanted to stay, but it was much too early in our… relationship to do so. My not-so-platonic feelings toward Hannibal would make it out of line; hell, he probably wasn’t interested in me. He might be. Maybe. Hopefully. Was he? “You don’t have to take me there, it’s just next door.”

“I insist,” he said kindly. He walked by my side the whole 20 steps to my door. “I will be over tomorrow to install the bell on your door; I finish with my work at 7pm, so expect me shortly after. I will bring you some dinner if you wish.”

“Why are you doing this?” I finally asked, turning to face him.

“What do you mean, Will?” Hannibal seemed sincerely confused, as if this was normal behavior to suddenly become so involved and concerned with your neighbor’s well being.

“You – I’ve barely known you two days, yet you’re – you’re letting me into your home in the middle of the night, giving me psychiatric help for no cost, and offering me food and a bed –“

“Will, I am simply being friendly,” he chuckled, his hand resting on the side of my face.

I wanted to slap it away, but I didn’t. “I have a hard time believing you act like this towards all of your neighbors,” I snapped.

Hannibal stroked my cheek with his thumb. “You are correct. You are… an exception, Will. I see you need help and I feel obliged to give it. I feel a large amount of responsibility, as well as an opportunity for friendship.  Is that wrong?”

I simmered over his words, upset with myself for questioning a man who truly seemed to have good intentions. I smiled nervously. “I’m sorry, I’m just not used to this.”

“To being treated like a human being ought to be?” Hannibal cocked his head and I made eye contact for half a minute.

“Just people being… friendly. Being friends with someone. I don’t really have any friends.” It sounded more depressing when I said it than when I thought it.

“I have few friends myself. However, I do hope we can become good friends, Will,” Hannibal smiled gently, his thumb stroking the outer crease of my lips. I started to lean in towards him subconsciously.

“I will see you tomorrow. Good night, Will.”

I suddenly felt the cool air hit my cheek, not noticing for another moment that his hand had left my face and he was halfway home. “Night,” I shouted after him, quickly moving inside and locking the door behind me. I curled up in my bed, kept warm by Winston, forcing my mind to forget my growing affections toward Hannibal Lecter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a huge tease, I know. But these two are too cute when they're sort-of flirting.  
> ...I'm seriously invested in this now. Don't ever let me get started writing something again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken me so long to update; I promise the next chapter will be up much quicker!  
> No warnings, still. Trust me, I can't wait to get to the smut too, but patience is a virtue. ;)

The jarring beep of my alarm clock woke me up; I groggily reached over to shut it off. I was exhausted, not having slept properly in a few nights, but I took a quick, cold shower and got dressed for work. I left without breakfast, wanting to avoid seeing Hannibal as we left for work around the same time. As I shut the car door, I saw him emerge from his home. I sped off. I was still embarrassed from last night, not ready to face him again. Or my feelings for him, which were… concerning. I’ve never been good with relationships of any kind, especially not romantic ones. I haven’t had many, but the ones I did ended badly and were always my fault. I’m too insensitive and emotional, unreliable and dependent, and definitely not the type of guy anyone wanted to be with longer than a few months. I couldn’t imagine that Dr. Lecter, with all of his propriety and demure, would be even remotely interested in a mess like me.

I yawned through my first lecture, sending the students off without their reading assignment. One of them came up to me after class, wanting to be a smart-ass and dispute a fact with me, to which I told them to piss off. This, of course, landed me in the office of my boss, Jack Crawford.

“You know why you’re here, right, Will?” He raised an eyebrow at me, looking more annoyed than disappointed. I nodded. “You can’t just tell a student to ‘piss off’, even if they are being an asshole. Will, you’re a great asset to our program here, and I don’t want to lose you over some dumb comments. You’re a brilliant mind and we need you,” he asserted.

“I’m sorry, Jack. It won’t happen again,” I stated, not sure that was a promise I could live up to. Maybe with more sleep. Maybe.

Jack leaned towards me over his desk. “Are you okay, Will? I know it’s a big jump coming from a community college in a small town to a major university.”

“No, I’m fine… just haven’t had such good sleep since I’ve gotten here,” I explained. Jack frowned.

“Perhaps you should see someone; we have resources for sleeping disorders.”

“I’m a seeing a psychiatrist,” I retorted. “Well, not officially, but he’s my… friend, and he offered to help.”

Jack nodded, half-pleased. “Alright. I do think having our guys watch you sleep one night might help though.” He passed me a business card. “Dr. Alana Bloom is the head of the department. Call her if you decide to make an appointment.”

Nodding, I slipped the card into my briefcase. “Thanks, Jack.” I was considering it, but I’d rather not have to deal more people. Maybe Hannibal’s next treatment idea would work. Or maybe I just liked the idea of spending more time with him.

Hannibal was waiting on my porch when I got home. I hurriedly grabbed my briefcase from the passenger seat and walked up to my door.

“You’re late,” he stated, watching me unlock the front door, “is something wrong, Will?” He tilted his head to the side, concern in his voice. I let him follow me inside.

“No… well, I told a student to piss off and had a talk with Jack about it,” I said, throwing down my things on the dining table. I turned around and leaned onto it. Hannibal was right in front of me, holding a few Tupperware containers that I hadn’t noticed before.

“Were they rude to you, Will?” Hannibal asked smoothly. He took the containers into the kitchen; I heard the click of lids coming off.

“More of a know-it-all,” I replied. Hannibal murmured something to himself that I couldn’t make out. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I would’ve called if I had known.”

“It’s perfectly fine, Will, it’s not your fault,” he smiled from the kitchen. I heard the microwave beep, and a few seconds later Hannibal brought out two plates and silverware. “Please, sit,” he said, placing the dish in front of me.

“You made me dinner?” I was shocked; it looked like it came from a gourmet restaurant.

“I said that I would, didn’t I?” he smiled. “Boeuf en Daube, garnished with cepes, shallots, and some dried orange, served on a bed of arugula.”

I dove into the meal, hungrier than I thought. “It’s delicious,” I marveled. Hannibal smiled, thanking me as he savored his food. After we were finished, Hannibal cleared the plates and put them in the dishwasher.

“I will install the bell on your door now, Will. Please wait on the couch; I’ll be done shortly.” I nodded, plopping down on the couch. I looked over my notes for class tomorrow as I listened to Hannibal tinkering upstairs. It was taking longer than I expected. My eyelids became heavier, and within a few minutes I was out.

“Will?”

I woke up with Hannibal’s face hovering over mine, close enough to make me blush. “S-Sorry, I fell asleep…”

“I apologize for keeping you up, then. I’ve finished installing the system; I was going to show you how it worked, but I’ll let you sleep properly now.” He held out his hand, which I grabbed for leverage as I got up. I let my hand stay in his, enjoying the warmth. “Good night, Will.”  
            “G’night, Hannibal.” I could’ve sworn I felt him squeeze my hand before he slipped his away but he was gone before I could do anything stupid. I corralled my dogs to bed with me, hoping my drowsiness was a sign I would finally get a good night’s sleep.

The sound of the bell tingled in my ears. I jumped, my eyes blinking open in confusion. I stared down my upstairs hallway. Winston nudged my leg, whimpering at me to come back to bed. Petting his head, I complied, crawling back into my still warm sheets. “Guess this will have to do, buddy,” I murmured, kissing his furry head before going back to sleep.

I thought that the bell system was a good solution, though it was treating the symptoms instead of the problem. I probably needed a full evaluation, but some part of me wanted Hannibal to fix it. I wanted him to be the one that cured me. Partially because that meant I didn’t have anything wrong with me neurologically but mostly because I wanted to believe he could fix everything else in my life as well. I wanted Hannibal to be the answer, the cast for my broken, lonely life.

“Will.”

Hannibal’s voice rang through my ears and my eyes shot open. I was standing on the small roof over my front door, less than an inch from the edge. I froze, panic searing through my veins, blood pumping in my ears.

“Will, look at me, Will,” he spoke, calmly but with a tremor in his voice. I obeyed. “Good. Now, Will, I want you to slowly turn around and climb through your window. Do you think you can do that for me?” I nodded, taking a deep breath. There wasn’t much room for me to turn around but I managed to climb back inside my bedroom safely. I closed tightly shut, locking it. I shakily made my way downstairs to let Hannibal in, nearly tripping on a few of the steps.

I wasn’t sure what possessed me in that moment, but I nearly flung myself at him, arms wrapping around his waist as his arms closed over my shoulders, his hands petting my hair.

“Sssh, it’s okay Will, I’m right here,” he cooed into my ear. I realized I was shaking, unsure if it was from fear or from our embrace. I dropped my arms, looking down out of embarrassment.

“Will. Look at me, Will.” He grabbed my face between his hands, forcing me to look into his eyes. I gulped. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to put you in harm’s way. Maybe you should see a specialist; I’m afraid I can’t do much else except put you on pills, which is a bad idea if there is something wrong neurologically.”

I shook my head. “N-No.” I didn’t want his visits to stop. I wanted him to fix me. I didn’t want to call Dr. Bloom. I didn’t want his warm hands to drop from my face, leaving me cold and alone.

“No? Will, if your sleepwalking is becoming a risk to your life, I cannot –“

“I… I don’t want to see someone else,” I murmured, staring at his lips, avoiding his eyes.

“I appreciate that, Will, but you need to have your sleep monitored by a specialist.” He felt my forehead for a fever and I saw his lips twitch. “No fever. Your pulse is racing, though. Are you scared, Will?”

I blinked, meeting his eyes hesitantly. I couldn’t seem to form the words I should say. _A bit, but I’m fine now._ “No.”

His eyes sparked, confused. Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed him.


End file.
